Beach girl hit by car: ‘It could have crushed me’

Virginia Beach, Va. – Dozens of signatures were etched on the cast of Emileigh Gulrud’s right arm. “I have a lot of hearts on it,” she told only NewsChannel 3.

She’s the 12-year-old girl who was caught in the middle of a car accident while walking to the bus stop this week.

“I don`t remember hearing anything, I don`t remember getting hit. I was in so much shock, like I blacked out. And it all kind of happened so fast,” she said.

But she does remember opening her eyes after landing on her back in a front yard, and seeing a car’s tire inches from her body.

“It was right there. Like literally almost, it could have crushed me. It`s pretty scary to think about. It could have been a lot worse. After the accident I did get up, so I guess I`m pretty lucky that the car didn’t crush me or go over me. It just barely missed me,” she added.

She had already crossed Aragona Boulevard from Kellam Road and was standing off the street when she was knocked to the ground.

Police tell NewsChannel 3 a Ford Explorer ran a stop sign and hit a Toyota Tacoma. That’s when the two cars hit Emileigh, breaking her shoulder.

“I guess that if it hadn’t hit the other truck, it could have been a lot worse,” she said.

Emileigh had shoulder surgery this week, and today, her parents are counting their blessings.

“Me and my wife both are just so thankful. We could be setting up a funeral instead of just trying to fix her arm,” Emileigh’s dad, Paul Gulrud told NewsChannel 3.

On Monday, Emily will head back to school with one more signature, one from NewChannel 3!